Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Knep - Artist Lecture

Mr. Knep uses technology in enhance his art along with programming, to make it feel more organic and non - digital... He spoke about emergent behavior - birds flocking, fish swimming, etc... He wants to bring a type of artificial intelligence to his work, that would not be possible without programming. For example, in his "Healing series," when users walk across the surface of the piece, the organic looking floor moves away from them, in a very subtile and organic way. The "Scar" that is left behind is never the same twice, therefore, using programming to make an image unique for each experience. The scar that is left behind IS healed, but not fully, leaving a marking that will never fully heal. Knep says, "Each person who interacts with it leaves his mark." In his expansion of this series, (Healing 1,2,3, etc..) he choose to use a large pool - Here, we can see multiple users walking through the space, leaving marks and, with the use of programming, we can see were people have been walking in specific areas, more than others (Because each user leaves her mark behind). This larger "Pool" piece uses six projectors and motion tracking software hooked up to several cameras to track the movement of the people intelligently. The software he designed makes it possible for each individual user to create a unique path and "Scar" within the piece.

In "Drift," Knep uses several vertical screens on the wall each with their own unique pattern, but also interconnected. The program subtilely shifts the patterns between the screens and used a sort of organic algorithm to drift the pattern between each... This piece also uses cameras to look at the viewer and make adjustments according to who is standing in front of the screens. Each column starts off looking the same, but the interactivity of the users makes the piece change once it is engaged.

Deep wounds also uses programming, with projectors, cameras and an intelligent program to track the users. When a user walks over the space, names of dead soldiers are revealed slowly, and subtilely to create a somber environment. After each user walks over the stone floor, the names are slowly covered back up with another organic pattern. In Expand, erect, the users push a button to "Stir up" these small creatures, the react differently in this work and the subsequent works that are similar. He uses programming to give the horde a personality. Finally, in "Big Smile," Knep uses facial tracking software to evoke emotion from the viewers. The large, animated smile changes its expression depending on if the user is looking right at him. This uses humor and smart programming to gets its message across.